Introduction to Databases (Stanford)

This course covers database design and the use of database management systems for applications.

It includes extensive coverage of the relational model, relational algebra, and SQL. It also covers XML data including DTDs and XML Schema for validation, and the query and transformation languages XPath, XQuery, and XSLT.

The course includes database design in UML, and relational design principles based on dependencies and normal forms. Many additional key database topics from the design and application-building perspective are also covered: indexes, views, transactions, authorization, integrity constraints, triggers, on-line analytical processing (OLAP), JSON, and emerging NoSQL systems. Working through the entire course provides comprehensive coverage of the field, but most of the topics are also well-suited for “a la carte” learning.

Databases are incredibly prevalent — they underlie technology used by most people every day if not every hour. Databases reside behind a huge fraction of websites; they’re a crucial component of telecommunications systems, banking systems, video games, and just about any other software system or electronic device that maintains some amount of persistent information. In addition to persistence, database systems provide a number of other properties that make them exceptionally useful and convenient: reliability, efficiency, scalability, concurrency control, data abstractions, and high-level query languages. Databases are so ubiquitous and important that computer science graduates frequently cite their database class as the one most useful to them in their industry or graduate-school careers.

“Databases” was one of Stanford’s three inaugural massive open online courses in the fall of 2011; it was offered again in MOOC format in 2013 and 2014.

Course Topics:

1: Introduction

2: Relational Model

3: Querying Relational Databases

4: Well Formed XML

5: DTDs IDs IDREFs

6: XML Schema

7: JSON Intro

8: JSON Demo

9: Relational Algebra 1

10: Relational Algebra 2

11: Introduction to SQL

12: Basic Select Statement

13: Subqueries in Where

14: Subqueries in From Select

15: Join Operators

16: Aggregation

17: Null Values

18: Data Modification Statements

19: Relational Design Overview

20: Functional Dependencies

21: BCNF

22: Multivalued Dependencies

23: Shortcomings BCNF 4NF

24: Xpath Intro

25: Xpath Demo

26: Xquery Intro

27: Xquery Demo

28: XSLT

29: UML Data modeling

30: UML to Relations

31: Indexes

32: Motivation Overview

33: Constraints

34: Referential Integrity

35: Triggers Intro

36: Triggers Demo Part 1

37: triggers Demo Part 2

38: Transactions Intro

39: Transactions Properties

40: Isolation Levels

41: Defining Using Views

42: View Modifications Intro

43: View Modifications Using Triggers

44: Automatic View Modifications

45: Materialized Views

46: Authorization

47: Basic Recursive With Statement

48: Basic Recursive With Statement Demo

49: Nonlinear Mutual Recursion

50: OLAP

51: OLAP Demo

52: NoSQL Motivation

53: NoSQL Overview

54: Office Hours 02/21/2013

55: Office Hours 03/06/2013

56: Midterm Exam Solutions

57: Final Exam Review

Course Videos:

 

Instructor: Jennifer Widom

Price: Free